In 2013, I got a 2nd place as well. I want to thank so many people that contributed to making this Olympia 2013 unforgettable : Dylan Armbrust, my trainer, thanks for believing in me and all the support I have got. Everybody in the Armbrust Pro gym, my second home, thanks for all the push and encouragement (and sorry if I missed saying hi in the last couple of weeks). All the Denver/Armbrust Pro Gym crew that were in Vegas, you were fantastic, all your warmth and love gave me wings.

Phil Heath, our Mr Olympia 2013, whose presence in the same gym where I train alone motivated me to push harder and who's 'lion' attitude in defending his title was magic to witness. His wife, Jennifer Heath, whose year has been patched with hardships, having been diagnosed with breast cancer and fighting through this all till this point where she is cancer free: her own battle positively inspired me as to what human kind can endure and fight back.
Sean Marshall, thanks for the support and patience.Sara Hurrle Ifbb PhysiquePro, I am proud of you, your 3rd place in the first Ms Physique Olympia ever is a huge achievement.
I want to thank all my clients who patiently put up with me getting their training on hold for the last rough stretch of my prep.
My dear friends who were there present to see me or wrote me to encourage me during the contest phase, my fans who stopped by, everybody who wrote me to congratulate me.
This runner-up placing is a tremendous personal achievement and I am grateful for having got such a wonderful gift. I know I wouldn't have got it without all the details and the right people at the right times in my life so thank you all.
It will take just a little more till I get back to all of you but I will do it.
Thanks for all your love,

Ever since I ever knew I was the very active, sportive kind of person. I had endless energy resources and I loved sports. I began with some track & field but didn’t do competitions. In my summer holidays I used to train 2 times a day, about 3 hours each time. I loved to sprint and didn’t like the long distance races.

After that I started to attend aerobics classes and I loved the fitness part of it, working with weights. I entered the gym in my native town just to keep fit and lose some weight.

That was the moment I fell in love with bodybuilding. I remember, upon starting to go to the little gym in my quiet native town, I began to read the little thin bodybuilding magazines that I could find on the Romanian market at that time.

Trying to detach from traditions seldom causes a big deal of pain and struggles to go through. However, the price of managing to detach yourself from pre-set norms is much much smaller than the price you would eventually have to pay if you just conform to what you are told to, for it is the price of your own happiness. The freedom of our heart is what makes us unique and authentic therefore the way we express our creativity in projecting our dreams into reality, following our passions and calls, this is what makes us happy human beings.